Promise of PRP in Hamstring Injury, is it Far Fetched? A Literature Review

Abstract

Hamstring strain injuries (HSI) represent up to 29% of all injuries in the athletic population and up to 50% in sprinters. Variety of modalities have been used by sports physicians in order to expedite healing and reduce time to return to sports (RTS). The potential in restoration of muscle anatomy post-injury and relatively non-invasive mode of application have made platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections gain popularity as a possible treatment option in accelerating healing of hamstring injuries. But studies have utilized diverse methodologies making it inconclusive to find definitive outcome. Electronic databases were used to search the evidence using relevant Medical Subject Headings for the available research studies. Although no adverse effects have been reported so far, robust clinical evidence in support of PRP injections is still lacking. Hence this literature review is aimed at available evidences to find any consensus regarding application of PRP in treatment of hamstring injuries.

Keywords: PRP, Hamstring injury, Athlete, Adjunct therapy, Sports